Category: Blogs

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SyriaSource

Jun 23, 2017

Lawlessness in Syria’s Regime-Held Areas and the Future of Governance in Syria

By Saleem al-Omar

Lawlessness is a major problem in Assad regime-held Syrian cities, especially those on the coast. This is despite the large number of security agencies that control those areas, along with armed militias that commit daily abuses against civilians and government institutions—violations the government ignores as it relies on the militias’ continued support. Such lawlessness raises […]

Syria

FutureSource

Jun 23, 2017

Cognitive Systems and the Policy Challenges of the Twenty-First Century

By Conrad Tucker

This blog is the first in a series exploring the implications of different policies on the development and deployment of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cognitive systems. The term “cognition” is defined as “of, relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity”.1 Our world is surrounded by cognitive organisms that range in complexity from an […]

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2017

Memo to President Trump: It’s Not “The Ukraine” Anymore

By Peter Dickinson

The first meeting between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and US President Donald Trump on June 20 was widely hailed as a small but significant victory for Ukraine, signaling continued American support at a time when many fear Ukraine’s struggle with Russia is in danger of becoming a forgotten war. The only fly in the ointment […]

Russia Ukraine

MENASource

Jun 22, 2017

Defeating ISIS in Libya

By MENASource

While the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) has been routed out of its Libyan stronghold in the city of Sirte, the 2017 Manchester bombing, which was perpetrated by a duel British and Libyan citizen, demonstrated that Libya remains a fertile ground for ISIS and other extremist groups. On June 20, 2017, the Rafik Hariri Center […]

Libya

New Atlanticist

Jun 22, 2017

Saudi Arabia and the United States are on a Collision Course with Iran

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Donald J. Trump and Mohammed bin Salman have a similar outlook when it comes to Iran. Both see the Islamic Republic as a threat that needs to be contained. What then does the elevation of Mohammed bin Salman, commonly known as MBS, to the role of crown prince of Saudi Arabia mean for the Sunni […]

Iran Saudi Arabia

SyriaSource

Jun 22, 2017

The Battle for Deraa and Iran’s Plans in the South

By Ahmad Abazeid

On February 12, 2017, the opposition operations center known as al-Bunyan al-Marsous announced the beginning of the battle for the regime-controlled district of Manshiya, dubbed al-Mawt wa-la al-Madhalla. The operation hoped to push the regime away from the border crossing with Jordan following a series of regime attempts to advance in that direction. The Manshiya […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Jun 22, 2017

Are Kurdish-led Forces Trying to Reconcile with Former ISIS Members in Syria?

By Haid Haid

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US backed multi ethic alliance led by Kurdish forces to fight the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh), issued a statement on May 15th ensuring the protection of ISIS militants in Raqqa, the de-facto capital of ISIS in Syria, as well as their families if they surrender before the end […]

Syria

SyriaSource

Jun 22, 2017

Assad’s Syrian State Strategy and the Disappointments of De-escalation and Decentralization

By Anthony Elghossain

De-escalation and decentralization may soon disappoint those who see such programs as possible solutions for Syria. To be sure, Syrians will welcome any reprieve from violence. And American and European officials may acquiesce to political proposals that they have long since lost the leverage to shape. Even so, neither de-escalation nor decentralization will work unless […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Jun 22, 2017

How to Root Out ISIS from Libya

By Xiaojing Zeng

True national reconciliation and inclusiveness are necessary ingredients for ending the cycle of statelessness and radicalization that has created a fertile ground for terrorist groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), to flourish in Libya, according to a new Atlantic Council report. “People who fought in Syria, we call that the undergrad […]

Libya

New Atlanticist

Jun 22, 2017

Why Bot Makers Dream of Electric Sheep

By Ben Nimmo

Using fake social media accounts to attract real users Social media “bots” have repeatedly made headlines over the past year, accused of driving traffic and distorting debate on social media platforms, especially Twitter, in the US, French, and UK elections. But what are bots, and how do they work? In social media terms, a bot […]

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